The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-09-24
A CORNER IN GUIDES.
BY LUKE START.

hen LIT. DuutS afU got lDIO nd-
 monix there was fine how -de-do
 There was not a guide to be had eN-
 eept at .le most eXorbitant rates.
 This was an extraop.in .inary state of things. An American, they told Us at the office, had retained every guide for the next ten days, and guide could only be had by applying to him. The tariff for guides is printed and posted at all the hotels, and per son knows just what he has to pay. If he wants to go up Mount Blanc the cost will be about fifty dollars; if to cross the Mer de Glace the cost for a guide is nine francs; to the Glacier du Blossoms five francs, and so on.
 Dr. Bunts told me that he had been at the office of the guides. but could do nothing. They were helpless. They said it would not occur again if they could avoid 1t. Of course when man retained certain number of guides
 for his own use it was all right, but
 this American by the aid of some
 friends had managed to get claim on
 all the guides for the next ten days,
 and he seemed to have no use for
 them, for they were standing around
 the hotel within call, but idle When
 this state of things became plain to
 the doctor he was mad clear through.
 He went up to the balcony of the ho-
 tel to find !. Humphrey Potts, of
 Chicago. who had hired the guides.
 He found that gentlemen sitting in a
 chair that was tilted against the wall,
 while his feet were on the railing of
 the balcony. He was gazing serenely
 at the distant white dome of Mount
 Blanc that lowered above the clouds.
 How do," said Mir. Potts. as the
 doctor appeared. "A new arrival,
 eh?"
 'Yes. sir" answered the doctor,
 keeping his temper as well as he could.
 "I was told at the office that you had
 the hiring of the guides here. Are
 you going to be long in the business?"
 'Oh, mo- 1t is of necessity only a
 short speculation. You sec l came
 from Chicago for my health. Health don't seem to get much better. can't climb the mountains and don't know that I would care to if could. Thought l would give the unsophisti- cated natives a few pointers on cor I nering the market There is nothing to corner here except guides, can't get up financial panic on mountains in this district No, sir market is too we'll stocked. So bought some few options in guides. Pm ahead so far in the deal. Some folks stayed three days rather than take my terms. and and every day raised the market on them, and the third they took the guides at three times the price they could have got lem for the first day Lost time and board, too. So, stran- ger, if you want guide take him right away. Price will be doubled tomorrow. Old Chicago may be in a
 flat country but she don't get left
 here, even if the hills are bigger than
 the knoll in Lincoln Park"
 Don't you think it's rather mean swindle on visitors?" said the doctor
 ''Swindle? No, sir. Legitimate business. The guides are mine for ten days. If you want any of 'em you deal with me. that's all. take the risks, of course. Supposing no visitors came to Chamonix for that length of time l would be out. I'm long on guides, you're short. do ye see? If you want to stock up on guides you've got to do it at my figures. Just the same in wheat or pork, only in this outland- ish place you can't get any wheat or pork to corner"
 All right" said the doctor. Pm on the other side of the market, and don't you forget it. I'm going to have guide, and I'm going to have him at my figures, too. Don't you forget that either"
 Il won't" said Potts. Ia, ta, old man."
 The doctor hustled into the smok- ing room where 1 was sitting and said he had a scheme. He was great hand on schemes, the doctor was. We got an interpreter and went up town. In less than an hour we had about twenty natives all provided with alp enstocks and with the connivance of one of the guides We changed them tor score of the real guides, who went back to the office leaving the bo- gus guides in their places around the hotel. At six o'clock Mfr. ]. Humph- rey Potts appeared on the porch in I front of the Hotel Des Apes and mar
 shalled his guides along the road. He
 counted them and found the count
 correct. Then he paid them their
 days wages and told them to be there
 the first thing in the morning. Then
 he strolled into the hotel to see who
 wanted guides for the next day. See-